write whole books like his and they should be Î ÎÏι στεφάνου of thy Crown and thee Vpon Act. 7. 56. Epig. 2. THat Christ on Gods right hand enthron'd doth sit Our Creed and all the Scriptures witness it Yet thou great Martyr seest him stand a thing Well worthy of our strict examining But I have found it Thou being now to fight This first pitch'd Combat in thy Masters right Christ leaves his seat and upon tiptoe stands To see how thou thereof wouldst quit thy hands And having seen thee with much joy to win The prize he opes the Heavens to take thee in And will sit down no more thou happy one Till he have plac'd thee first upon thy throne And ta'ne those stones which when thou now didst dy About thy head like stormes of hayl did fly And chang'd to Rubies have enameld them About thy well-wrought glorious Diadem Stephen thy way indeed was hard and rough But thy reward at last was sweet enough Vpon Act. 7. 6. He fell asleep Epig. 3. THen when the furious stones in stormes did fall About thy head when blood and brains and all Spatt'red from thy dissevered skull and those That gave them have bemoan'd their dreadful blowes 'T is sayd thou fell'st asleep O wondrous thing Was this a time for sleep to spred her wing About thy peaceful temples cou'd'st thou ly So gently down when such rough storms did fly But I admire not thou hadst seen a sight That ravish'd thy glad Soul with more delight Then all those wounds could fright thee with which were Indeed an Exit not a cause of fear Let me my God but such a vision see And I shall sleep in death as well as he John the Evangelist Epig. 1. 'T was not for naught great John that thou didst rest Thy head upon thy Masters sacred Brest Thence thou deriv'st those heavenly gifts that none Of all the twelve e're had but thou alone They mov'd in narrower Spheres one's hand did pen Epistles to the scattered brethren Another fill'd with a celestial light The storie of his Saviours life did write But thou alone in one sweet knot didst twist Prophet Apostle and Evangelist Epig. 2. Vpon John 19. 26 27. THis povver to all beleevers is convey'd That they are Gods adopted children made And 't is a grace indeed to be alli'd To Christ the Lord upon the better side But John to thee this further honour 's done That thou' rt adopted also Maries son On both sides novv unto thy Lord a kin His German-brother doubly grafted in O vvho can boast great Saint as thou canst do The Son of God and Son of Mary too No mortal man had e're that favour shovvn To be thus truly stil'd but thou alone Epig. 3. Vpon the Effigies of an Eagle ascrib'd to S. John T' Was not unmeet blest Saint that thou didst bear The quick-y'd Eagles specious Character Who couldst with fixed looks so freely gaze Upon those beams which other eyes amaze Who hast thy Lords dread person so exprest As if thou dst lain not on but in his brest As though the other Writers all had seen But his back-parts and thou alone hadst been Familiar with his face which shone so bright That no mans eies but thine could brook the sight The Type was apt but short the Eagles eye And towring wing indeed that soars so high Something present thy Genius but not well For she wants tongue the things she sees to tell Thou with Seraphick skill at once didst see And warble out thy Saviours dignitie Well did the Church in one sweet Book of thine Ascribe to thee the Title of Divine Thou showd'st thy self so there and to say true In all the rest great Saint thou didst so too Innocents day Epig. 1. VVEigh but the sins and sorrows age doth bring And you 'l conclude it is a happy thing To die betimes and so prevent those woes Which he that long surviveth undergoes This was your case sweet Babes you early dy'd And so blest souls the fewer evils try'd But that 's not all you dy'd for Jesus sake And that 's a cause indeed enough to make The saddest suffrings glorious never man For his behoof the smalest hazzard ran And loâ—â—â—y the adventure so to dy Is to live happy everlastingly Then weep not Rachell that thy Sons are slayne Nor reckon that thy loss that was their gaine 'T was mercy that thy children dy'd so soon But that they thus did dy 's a double Boon Epig. 2. THe sting of death is sin remove but that And death hath nothing to be trembled at What need then these sweet Infants fear th' events Of death ne're hurt such harmless Innocents Lord wash my Soul as clean as theirs and I When e're thou call'st will be content to dy Epigr. 3. YOu dy'd for Christ sweet Babes but grudge not though You gain'd a glorious Crown by doing so And 't was no sorry bargain that to lose A moments breath for such rich joys as those And yet that breath was none of yours beside 'T was bought before by him for whom you dy'd FINIS
glorious restitution which was wrought This day almost beyond all humane thought That was thy Birth but this may well be sed To be thy resurrection from the dead And ours indeed in thine for all the while That thou wert banish'd death possess'd this Isle And we lay buried in thy losse but when Thou once returnd'st we all reviv'd agen And breath'd new life for which great mercies we Must ever pay our thanks to it and thee June 1. YOung men this Month is yours your Country shows What honor she to springing virtue owes When as a pledge thereof she 's proud to wear Your name inscrib'd upon her Calendar Goodness at any time acceptance wins But 't is best priz'd when it in youth begins The Feasts of June 2. THe ' leventh of June bright Barnabas obtains The twenty fourth the new-born Baptist gains The nine and twentieth day apart is set To him that first for Christ forsook his net Barnabas Apostle upon Acts 11. 22. c. Epig. 1. SSee what an humble soul can yeeld to do Barnabas by the Apostles sent into An ample Province to command and guide The Church of Antioch freely doth divide His charge with Saul the convert and is glad To have him share in all the power he had Good men for Christs behoof their interests wave And are content to part with all they have Let thy Church thrive so they their prayers begin And 't is no matter who doth lose or win Vpon Acts 11. 26. Epig. 2. FRom Barnabas and Saul's advice the Name Of Christians first to Christs Disciples came They preach'd not for themselves and could not brook To see their hearers dote upon the look Or garbe of any earthly Minister How great soever or polite he were 'T was Christ that own'd the building and 't was fit They thought't should bear his Name that purchas'd it Christians rejoyce in your great stile to bear This title is more glorious then to wear Imperial Crowns But pay your thanks withall For this great grace to Barnabas and Saul 'T was Christ indeed from whom your honour sprung But through those golden Pipes it pass'd along Vpon Acts 15. 39. Epig. 3. WHo would have thought that there could ever fall Such bitter strifes 'twixt Barnabas Paul That they whose tongues so sweetly did accord In the confession of one God one Lord One Spirit of grace who one same hope enjoy'd One Faith one Baptism that were both emploi'd In one same Function and so long had stood Twin-like conjoyned in one Brotherhood That they should jarr and jarr fo sharply too That they must part oh this is sad to view Good Lord how loose are mens affections tide Whom every trivial difference can divide Our comfort is when once w' are knit to thee That bond no time shall ever cancel'd see John the Baptist Epig. 1. JOhn was that voice that in the Desart cryed All Judah heard it and was terrified And who will wonder if they shook with fear When they such shrill and dreadfull sounds did hear All I admire's how this to pass should come That he should get this Cryer that was dumbe Epigr. 2. ENoch that walk'd with God and Abraham His chosen friend to whom the promise came Moses the Steward of his house and he That up to heaven on fiery Steeds did flee These doubtless had great visions and descried More of their God then all those times beside Yet 't was not all those Saints nor any one Before or after equaliz'd our John Who had the honour at one time to hear The Father speak and see the Spirit appear And with his hands unworthy to baptize The Son that in the Fathers bosome lies Great John well did thy Saviours tongue proclaim That amongst all that out of women came Like thee there was no Prophet who alone Distinctly sav'st at once the three in one Epigr. 3. BEhold here how the great high Priest doth stand To be baptized by his servants hand And fear oh man how thou those seals refuse Which Christ thy Lord himself rejoyc'd to use And whatsoe're the frail dispenser be Remember John had sins as well as he Peter Apostle Epig. 1. PEter the rock that whilome stood so sure That he unmov'd was able to endure The blasts of Hell it self now down is thrown By a poor Damsels feeble breath alone Lord what is man if thou withdraw thy hand When such firm rocks as Peter cannot stand Vpon Luke 22. 61. Epig. 2. SAthan now thought that he had given so sore A wound to Peter that he never more Should raise again his bruised head but lie Weltering for ever in his blood and die And who indeed that heard our Peter swear And curse if ere he knew who Jesus were Would think there could be any hope of cure For such a desperate deadly Calenture But see poor sinners what a power there lies In your relenting Saviours gracious eyes When he no sooner casts a pittying look On wretched Peter whom all life forsook But he revives again and with his tears Gives proof that yet some hope of grace appears Lord if thine eyes have such a power indeed Where-ere they look repentant tears to breed Oh look on me that I who have sin'd as deep As Peter did may go with him and weep Vpon Mark 14. 72. Epig. 3. T' Was thought of old the Cocks shril voice did make The Princely Lions warlike heart to shake But this I 'me sure not all the Fiends in Hell Conspiring could have rung so sad a knell In Peters ears as this Cocks voice did do When now the second time he loudly crew But fear not Peter 't was sweet Chanticleer No Screetch-Owl this thy troubled ears did hear Or rather indeed 't was thy griev'd Lord that spake By this Birds tongue and cry'd awake awake It is enough thou 'st thrice deny'd my name Peter awake and sin no more for shame Return to him that loves thee so that he For all this yet is gone to die for thee Thus crow'd the Cock thou heardst and strait didst rise And back return'dst poor soul with weeping eyes O God that when we hear him crow we knew But how to take such hints and do so too July I. FRom five this Month sometimes deriv'd its name Which now great Julius doth more justly claim 'T was he indeed new form'd the year and gave The Months those measur'd portions which they have And 't was but fit the Father of them all One child in twelve by his own name should call Heathens all yeeld great Prince it should be so Who to thy pains their perfect Aera's owe We Christians grant it too who by thy aid More punctual in our years of Christ are made The Feasts of July SAd Maudlin July 's two and twenti'th claims The twenty fift's assign'd to greater James Mary Magdalene Epig. I. MAry when I thy former state recall What sins what Devils thou here wert fill'd withall Yet see thee now all brightly
cloathed sit At thy beloved Saviours glorious feet I cannot but admire that bounteous grace That takes such sinners to so sweet a place Yet when I think what floods of tears below From thine even almost drowned eyes did flow How oft thou bath'dst thy Saviours feet and then With thy torn locks didst wipe them dry agen I should have wondred if that place had bin Too good for such a soul t' have lodged in Tears mixt with faith such power in heaven do bear That they can place the greatest sinners there Vpon John 20. 13. Epig. 2. MAry her buried Lord she thought had lost Yet see how dear this small adventure cost Her tender heart mark how she wept and prai'd To know but where her breathless Christ was laid But thou my sencelesse soul Oh dreadfull word Canst loose the presence of thy glorious Lord Days without number yet scarce find a tear To witnesse that thou once didst hold him dear Ah my vile heart if thou thy Christ didst prize As Mary did thou wouldst have Maries eyes Vpon Mark 16. 9. and John 20. 17. Epig. 3. SEe here what links of comfort meet to crown Her drooping head who but even now powr'd down Such streams of tears no mortall eye must see Their raised Lord till first his Mary be Blest with the Vision till those eyes that wept So much for grief as much for joy have leap'd Nor is' t enough to feast her eyes alone With this glad sight hee 'l use her lips upon A glorious Message to his Brethren she Shall an Apostle to the Apostles be Themselves he means shall see the truth ere long But they shall owe it first unto her tongue So carefull is our gracious Lord that those That mourn for him shall not by mourning lose James Apostle Vpon Acts 12. 2. cum Mat. 20. 21. Epig. 1. GReat James the first of all the twelve I think Thou of thy Saviours bloody cup didst drink But grieve not at it 'T was the readiest way To gain that room for which thou once didst pray Who holds it now let bolder tongues report This onel ' I know thou didst bid fairly for 't Vpon James and John the two sons of Zebedee Epig. 2. GOod God what odds 'twixt these two brethren lyes This first that last of all the Apostles dies This an untimely bloody death abides That in a gentle quiet slumber glides Out of the world if he at all be gone From hence and must not rise again anon Both sued indeed mov'd with a like unfit Ambition on their Lords two hands to fit And undertook in lieu thereof to sup Their parts with him of his unpleasant cup This had a share but that for reasons best Known to his Lord 's reserv'd for longer rest How little is it Lord that we can know Of men by what betides them here below Some die for Christ and those that do not so Are oft as dear to him as those that do To will to die for him though 't do not come To pass in his account is Martyrdome Vpon both the Jameses Epigr. 2. NEither of the Jameses ever was in Spain They had their tasks elsewhere that did detain Their pains and persons Paul indeed we know Had a design into those parts to go Which if he did not execute the blame If any from his troubles onely came Which kept him back not from his changed mind Which firmly still to serve them was enclin'd Yet how it comes to passe I cannot tell But Paul that had deserv'd of them so well Is laid aside and James receiv'd alone To be the Patron of that Nation Yea not content with this through blinded zeal In points of Faith from Paul they do appeal To James his doctrine as if heaven's had made Him to be judge of what the other said And that his purer Comments must give light To those more doubtful texts that Paul did write But fools they one day to their cost shall know That one same Spirit in both their pens did flow And that these wretches that dishonour Paul Shall that day find no friend of James at all August 1. AVgustus name this Month inscrib'd doth bear A name that still is sweet to every ear Sweet for the peace he gave the world for though At his first entrance Seas of Blood did flow Ore all the earth he stopp'd the deadly spring And golden rest into all lands did bring But that which made him most unparallel'd Is that his reign the Prince of peace beheld The Feasts of August 2. AVgust the twenty fourth to Bart'lemew The twenty ninth's the headless Baptists due Bartholomew Apostle Epig. 1. HOw is it Lord that there 's no mention made In all thy book of what was done or said By this thy great Apostle other men Of meaner rank and gifts thy sacred Pen Finds time to speak of but of him alas There doth not one bare word distinctly passe Was it to teach us that those Tapers are Not ever of most worth that brightest glare That deep-fraught souls lie always snug and low Whilst empty hulks loom big and lofty show Or is' t enough that thou hast let us see A proof in some of what the others be Men bring not all their wares to open test A few found right give credit to the rest Lord we submit and by the things we hear Of Peter judge what all his brethren were Vpon Luke 22. 29 30. Epig. 2. IT is not much great Bart'lemew indeed That of thy works and labours we do read But this we from thy Lords own mouth do find That thou a Throne and Kingdom hadst assign'd As well as John and Peter had whose pains The holy Text so punctually explains And who will think that servants labors came Short of his Mates whose wages is the same Vpon Acts 5. 12. Epig. 3. INto the Temples Porch the twelve withdrew And thou amongst the rest great Bart'lemew There you all preach and work such mighty things As no man else dare think of equalling What thou distinctly dost I do not hear But of one stamp 't is sure your actions were So great and glorious as did justly strike A fear in all men to attempt the like Some souls thou winst I doubt not too for who Can think such gracious words in vain did flow From thy blest lips as yet indeed they be But like the windfall's to the loaden tree Thy work lies further off where heavens intend Whole Nations to thy powerful voice shall bend The Circumcision's Peters charge but thine God knows how many Regions shall confine John Baptist beheaded Epig. 1. YOu that for love of outward peace or gain From preaching all the truths of Christ refrain That dare not touch the times nor lance the sore Of States and Courts which ranks more and more That see the great ones run themselves to Hell And damn their souls with sins too palpable Yet you stand dumb the while and will not go And tell
sin Prince Peeres and People all at once might flie Like Manaoh's Angel to those joyes on high who 'le now hereafter charge the Popish rabble Of shaveling Priests to be uncharitable Who would at their own charge kind soules convey Their Enemies to Heaven so near a way Andrew Apostle Epig. 1. ANdrew having found the Christ brings Peter in True Converts still strive others souls to win Nor lose they by 't for grace is such a thing The more men spend the more their waters spring Like Christ his loaves whereof the more do share The fuller still the emptied baskets are Or like the widdows oyle which never stayed Till she an end of pouring out had made A sparing hand here makes the Owner poor They that do dole most out have most in store Vpon John 1. 38 39. Epig. 2. ANdrew enquires where Jesus dwelleth he Answers him truly he must come and see 'T is not the hearing of the eare O man That is enough to make a Christian Unlesse thou come to Christ and with thine eye Of faith survey the place where he doth lie Thousands have heard his own sweet mouth to tell Where his abode and yet are gone to Hell But none e're came to him that went away And perisht in his sins another day Epigr. 3. Vpon the Scots Arrogating Saint Andrew for their Patron SCotland we grant feels Andrews powerful hand But 't is to punish not to guard their land Their King their God their Souls and all they 'll sell For a few pence and run themselves to Hell But this sad curse their Saint on them hath laid That they shall still be poor for all their Trade December 1. MEthinks this Moneth to Sinai sadly leades And in our ears the ten Commandments reads Those ten sad words which none e're kept and none E're broke but 't was to his own destruction Sad words indeed but that this Month before It doth expire brings in a Saviour One that doth keep them from us and doth bear That death himself which our sad souls did fear O happy Advent that hath power to make This yoak so easie now to undertake That takes all dread from these ten words away And turns our Serpent to a helping stay Which way so e're we look this Number now Hath no more threatning wrinkles in its brow Look upon Christ and this tenth Month will bring Him clad in flesh to be our offering Look on the Law and all the thunder 's gone And it hath nothing in 't but light alone Thus thou my God can'st make December snow With more sweet joyes then verdant May to flow December his Feasts 2 DEcember's twenty first is Thomas Fee The twenty fift is Christ's Nativity Stephen upon the twenty sixt they stone The twenty seventh's assign'd to aged John The twenty eight by Herods cruelty At Bethlehem the poor Innocents did dy Thomas Apostle Epig. 1. THy faith was weak it cannot be deny'd Such doubtings are not to be justifi'd When such a cloud of Witnesses do meet To clear a truth then Thomas not to see 't Is willful blindness which doth not admit Of any just excuse to cover it But yet blest Saint when by thy Lords consent Thy hands had felt those holes the nails had rent And that the spear had made within his side Then never man with greater fervour cry'd My Lord my God O happy happy tongue That feelingly so sweet an Anthem sung Thomas thy failings they were great indeed But thy great faith I 'm sure did more exceed Epig. 2. THomas had not thy failings been so sad Our Faith had not so firm a footing had Thy weakness is our strength and by thy fall W' are now so setled as no tempest shall Unfix our holds or make us doubt again O God what cannot thy great power attain Who mak'st thy Saints miscarriages to be An Antidote to all Posteritie Well may we by their graces look to win That do become such gainers by their sin Epig. 3. Vpon John 20. 21. THomas 't is true thy late dead Master stands Before thy eyes thou feel'st his side and hands Such is his grace and now beleev'st indeed But 't is weak faith that such strong proofs doth need Blessed are they whom lesser means will draw To rest upon that Christ they never saw Thou dost not want thy wages but their Faith No doubt my God a double portion hath Christmas Day Epig. 1. Vpon Luke 2. 7. STruck with a new Instinct me thinks I spy The Beasts before thy manger prostrate lie And strait cry out Lord now 't is true indeed That which we in thy Holy Book do read The Oxe and th' Asse their Masters crib do know But Israel thine own people do not so Epig. 2. Vers eod There was no room for them in the Inne VVHo'd think that Davids heir in Davids town With child should find no lodging to lay down Her precious burthen but poor creature must Into the stable with the Beasts be thrust But thus in common Inns t' hath always bin They thrust out Christ whilst Ruffians vaunt within Epigr. 3. Vpon Luke 2. 8 9 10 11. VVHy didst thou send thine Angel Lord to tell Poor Shepherds first of this great Miracle The birth of thy Messias which had bin News for the stateliest Courts to have gloried in Was it to show that in these heavenly things Poor Swains oft get the start of mighty Kings Or was 't because that he whose birth was told Himself was the great Shepherd of the fold And 't was but meet that such as Shepherds were The birth of the great Shepherd first should hear Or wouldst thou have these Shepherds know that Lambe Of God was now brought forth whom it became Them to look after more then all their own A Lamb that whosome're doth wait upon They are kept safe by that same Lamb they keep The Shepherds are preserved by the Sheep Whether this or that induc'd thee Lord to show This grace to these poor men I do not know But this I know they 've seen such things to day As never men beheld before but they Go happy Shepherds leave your flocks and hie To Beth'lem where your Infant Lord doth lie And when you have view'd his sacred person well Spare not aloud what you have seen to tell Write volums of these things and let them bear The title of the Shepherds Calender This I assure you never shepherds knew With all their studies half so much as you Saint Stephen Epig. 1. THy name great Stephen doth a Crown denote And thou indeed a goodly Crown has got The first rich Crown that ever Martyr ware That witness to his glorious Master bare Christ by his sufferings past into his Throne And thou the self same-way to thine art gone Where thou now reignest with him O happy man That by one Combat such a Kingdome wan Had I great Saint that learned Graecian's skill And could drop golden raptures from my quill I 'de